A total

solar eclipse A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six mon ...

took place on Saturday, December 4, 2021, when the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

passed between

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's sur ...

and the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. This eclipse was unusual as the path of the total eclipse moved from east to west across

West Antarctica West Antarctica, or Lesser Antarctica, one of the two major regions of Antarctica, is the part of that continent that lies within the Western Hemisphere, and includes the Antarctic Peninsula. It is separated from East Antarctica by the Transan ...

, while most eclipse paths move from west to east. This reversal is only possible in polar regions. Its path across Antarctica crossed near

Berkner Island Berkner Island (also known as the Berkner Ice Rise or as Hubley Island) is an Antarctic ice rise, where bedrock below sea level has caused the surrounding ice sheet to create a dome. If the ice cap were removed, the island would be underwater. Be ...

, traversed an arc over the continent and passed over

Shepard Island Shepard Island or John Shepard Island is an island about long, lying west of Grant Island off the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Shepard Island is ice capped except at its northern, seaward side, and is almost wholly embedded in the Getz ...

Images

File:SE2021Dec04T.gif, Animated path File:NASA's DSCOVR Satellite Spots Yesterday's Total Solar Eclipse Over Antartica (51727062271).png, NASA's DSCOVR Satellite photo

Related eclipses

Eclipses of 2021

* A total lunar eclipse on May 26. * An annular solar eclipse on June 10. * A partial lunar eclipse on November 19.

Tzolkinex

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of October 23, 2014 A partial solar eclipse occurred on Thursday, October 23, 2014, with a magnitude of 0.81141. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A p ...

* Followed: Solar eclipse of January 14, 2029

Half-Saros cycle

* Preceded: Lunar eclipse of November 28, 2012 * Followed: Lunar eclipse of December 9, 2030

Tritos

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of January 4, 2011 The solar eclipse of January 4, 2011 was a partial solar eclipse, eclipse of the Sun that was visible after sunrise over most of Europe, northwestern and South Asia. It ended at sunset over eastern Asia. It was visible as a minor partial eclipse ...

* Followed: Solar eclipse of November 3, 2032

Solar Saros 152

* Preceded: Solar eclipse of November 23, 2003 * Followed:

Solar eclipse of December 15, 2039 A total solar eclipse will occur on December 15, 2039. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moo ...

Inex

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of December 24, 1992 A partial solar eclipse occurred on December 24, 1992. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of w ...

* Followed:

Solar eclipse of November 14, 2050 A partial solar eclipse will occur on Monday, November 14, 2050. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, ...

Triad

* Preceded: Solar eclipse of February 3, 1935 * Followed: Solar eclipse of October 5, 2108

Solar eclipses of 2018–2021

Saros 152

Metonic series

Notes

References

solar-eclipse.de: ''The total solar eclipse of 12/04/2021''
{{commons category, Solar eclipse of 2021 December 4 2021 12 04 2021 in science 2021 12 04 December 2021 events